The Incredible Journeys around the coast line of the World on small bikes including the Derbi FDX Cinquenta 50cc, known as the appealmobile

Supporting appealmobile on his world travels

Monday, 12 September 2011

Bill Shankly and Luca Jones

'A football team is like a piano. You need one person to play it and ten people to carry it.'

Bill Shankly was great, finding analogies to compare football with real life and yet after one of the most famous of quotes, Bill was the first to admit that football is NOT more important than life and death.

If we are talking life and death, our thoughts must go out to Brad Jones the Liverpool goalkeeper and his wee lad Luca who is suffering a severe aggressive form of Luekaemia.

His only chance of survival is stem cell treatment derived from bone marrow donors. Donors can come from anywhere in the world from the international network of registered donors

Anthony Nolan Cancer Charity is recruiting donors for lots of people suffering from blood cancers, not only children. Gary Abblett the ex player and reserve team manager/coach was also treated for cancer by this treatment. But our thoughts and emotions are often stirred more when we think of children suffering from this disease. Children who have yet to fulfill their potential in this world and have more often enough, spent most of their young life in treatment. This I can testify as my partners niece was also diagnosed with luekaemia and thankfully after years of chemotherapy all the signs are that it has gone.

What happens when the chemotherapy doesn't work, due to the aggressive nature of the cancer?
Well this is where bone marrow transplants come in. I confess I know little of the processes, except that a young fit person can donate stem cells, which when transfused can help fight the cancer. The reason I know so little is because I am too old to be a donor so have not researched it until now.
What I do know is that a young healthy male aged between 18 and 30 is the best donor. However it requires dosh, money geld, dinero to process each donor.
Well blow me f**k face as one other quote goes, I now realise I'm not to old to help a person to recieve stem cell treatment.
I might not be able to play the piano but I sure as hell can carry it. By donating anything I can, whether it's money, or help in spreading the word, that puts me back in the team and I am so proud now that I can contribute to the cause that is the Anthony Nolan Cancer Charity which saves lives.